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Y’all know how pale I can get in the summer, and that breaks my little heart. I get SO dark after just a time or two in the sun, but when it gets cold and dreary, my body rebels.

PTL that I met Stefanie! She’s the owner (and bronzing extraordinaire) of mobile spray tanning company The Bronzetique Tan (if you’re still stuck on PTL, it means Praise The Lord…now moving on…).

What’s special about this tanning is it’s not from some machine.. it’s a human doing a personalized application of color for you. The color is violet based- which means yes, you could look a little purple if you’re mega pale right after, but it goes away. The darkness of your color is totally based on the application pressure, it’s one solution for everyone. Also, BONUS, since it isn’t a machine, your hands aren’t going to end up orange.

The color is going to look really dark when you leave, fair warning. BUT, it gets better. You let the color soak in, overnight if possible, then shower. After your first shower the color starts to fade to a more normal shade.

From start to finish, Stefanie made me feel SO comfortable. I went to her, but she can also come to you (which is great if you’re tanning with a few friends before a big event!). The process took max 15 minutes. I decided to tan with bikini bottoms on, but only to show y’all my tan line! You can tan in whatever makes you feel comfortable. She’s sweet as can be, but professional as hell. I can promise you I’ll be back- whether I’m feeling pale in December, or have a spring/fall event- there’s no question she’s my new go-to girl.

She is located up in Plano, 2237 W Parker Rd, for those of you taking notes. And you don’t have to take my word for it- check her out on Instagram or Yelp to hear more about what people are saying.

Y’all, can we take a minute to reflect on how much we are constantly on our feet- weather it’s cycling (oh hey ZYN22 talking to you), at the gym, working, cleaning, you name it… and while we’re reflecting, let’s talk about STRESS. Yup, that ugly word. So now that we all feel sorry for ourselves (my b), let’s talk about a small step to fixing this.

PEDICURES.

Yup, that’s it. Feet. Spa. Toenails. You name the buzzword. But at the end of the day, a pedicure makes all (most) of your worries go away.

MiniLuxe is my go-to destination for pedicures. From the booking process, to the aftermath, MiniLuxe is 5 star treatment the entire way. It’s easy to book online or call the concierge desk- and with multiple locations and long hours, it’s not hard to get an appointment. Once you walk into the store, you’re greeted my a friendly staff- in a beautifully decorated waiting area. You’ll get a glass of wine- or water if that floats your boat- and pick your color.

The technicians are amazingly talented at what they do. You’ll get a little scrub, massage, toe clean up, color change – all great quality and done by a friendly team member. I have NEVER had a bad experience with this place and I have been going for years, y’all. That says something.

The relaxation is real. The massage is great. The color lasts forever. All in all, it’s a WIN.

I was at Public School last night for dinner. We arrived a little before 8:30pm for our 8:30 reservation. The place was fairly empty- a few servers- we were excited to have a night with our group of friends without the chaos of a busy place. Our drink orders were taken quickly, I ordered a well vodka Moscow Mule, but it took a little while to get the drinks. We weren’t in a rush so it didn’t bother us much.

Unfortunately the excitement didn’t last much longer. Our server was unknowledgeable about quite a few things. I asked him about the Recess food specials, and he had no idea. He started telling me about the beer flights after specifically enquiring about food. Then got defensive when I interrupted and asked about the food (I wasn’t ordering another drink, I just got served my mule). He told me he didn’t know the specials and that there wasn’t a specific percentage off or discount. He kept rambling about not knowing and that they were “just cheaper apps”. He eventually told me about a 2nd piece of collateral on the table that hide prices. Great! Too bad he didn’t start with that..

We finally got a chance to order food- I went with the PB&J Burger – cooked medium with fries. I’m doing an Uptown Influencer Takeover on Instagram this week and thought this could be a fun burger to share with everyone! Much to my dismay, my burger was dry and overcooked and not plated well. My friend across from me ordered the PB&J Burger Bites, but was given the exact same plate as me.

I told our server (after having time to eat all of the fries and a few bites of the burger), about the burger and how it was cooked. I told him “I don’t want another burger, it’s late, I just wanted to tell you that both burgers aren’t cooked as we ordered.” He never apologized but walked away, presuming he went to get a manager. When he came back the next time to see if we wanted checks, he said the manager had comped my burger and, I quote, “it’s late at night, you know how the cooks get it, they’re a little heavy handed”. This was the icing on the cake for me. If he, or a manager, would have simply apologized I wouldn’t have been irritated.

At this point I was frustrated, but just wanted to get home. The service has been sub par all night- not filling our 3 empty water carafes on the table, not checking on the table, taking awhile to bring the ketchup I asked for.

Then our checks came, and yes, burger was comped. But my “well vodka” mule had an upcharge on it. I didn’t say anything because I was exhausted and at the end of the day I’m not worried about a few dollars. But the principle behind asking for well and then getting an upcharge is frustrating from the consumer side.

The whole experience wasn’t terrible. My friends had an amazing BBQ Chicken Salad- and the Macaroni looked amazing. The collateral on the table was super cute. My mule was mixed well. And the space is nice. But unfortunately the negative overshadows the positive on this night out with friends.

Mother’s Day is around the corner- any idea what you’re getting mom? I have a few ideas for ya (and don’t tell my mom because I can’t give away the surprise before Sunday!!!!).

Wine Glass from Sip and Sparkle

Sip and Sparkle launched in April 2017 by a, you guessed it, mom! The glasses are mega cute- you can get mugs, wine glasses and even tumblers- and they come in 17 color variations! Everything is customizable, all you have to do is ask. Now all of this is fine and dandy, but I think my favorite part about Sip & Sparkle is that they give back! A portion of each purchase goes to an animal rescue organization or shelter. Katie, who started the company, has a soft spot in her heart for doggos as she has 6 rescues under her care! That’s way more than I can say, so the least I can do is support while I drink some wine with my mama! Pricing is super reasonable- esp considering she gives back! Glasses start at $14 + shipping and tax.

Check Sip & Sparkle out on Facebook, Instagram, Etsy and their webpage. PRO-TIP- new items are added weekly and if you don’t follow, you don’t get to see the perfect gift for your bestie, mom, sister, or self… 😉

Pedicure from MiniLuxe

Y’all know how obsessed I am with getting my toes done. My feet are NASTY after starting to cycle (downside of Zyn22, if you can even call it a downside). You know who else is probably obsessed? YOUR MOM. So why not spoil you and your mom at the same time with a little pedicure action at MiniLuxe? MiniLuxe is clean as a whistle- and you can drink while you’re there. Plenty of locations for easy access, but my personal favorite is Uptown, around the corner from The Original Cupcakery.

If your mama is anything like mine, she loves herself some sports- and clothes- but doesn’t always do the best job combining the two. That’s where I’m (well, 500 Level) is here to help! These tanks & tees are different than your usually fan attire- keeping you stylish and in team spirit while you watch the games. Trust me, all the other fans get a little jealous and what mom doesn’t live for being complimented on her outfit? My mom feels ultra cool, so I’m sure yours does to.

But maybe your mom isn’t a baseball fan (lame)… thank goodness 500 Level shows love to football, hockey and more! Check them out on Facebook, Instagram and their webpage to place an order today!

Thanks to your amazing customer service & deep rooted belief in the Zyn way, I have been sold and now understand why my friends go many times a week. It’s a damn good workout with the right instructor.

In case y’all didn’t read my post last week- I didn’t quite enjoy my first experience. The music, the choreography, it just didn’t work for me. But I went to Roger’s class on Tuesday night and I completely changed my opinion. Roger yelled, but in the right way. He motivated us with humor- we learned quickly, if he asks how we’re doing and it’s silent, that means TURN. IT. UP. By the end of class we were collectively loud and cheering when he asked us questions.

Cheesy, maybe, but I’ll take this over the “be one with you and the bike” speak any day.

I loved that Roger would yell and tell us to push harder and “make our asses hurt” because it motivated me- motivated me so much that I got 6th in class… Yup, the non-cycler cycled her big ass off.

I didn’t even realize that when Roger said “we’re riding home” that it was actually the last song of the class- yup- the boredom didn’t hit me, ever…

There were still a few things that I didn’t quite grasp choreography wise, but it was a huge improvement from the class before. I loved that Roger made a point to ask who was new and also gave tips on how to pick pup on the choreography. At the end of class he made a point to fist bump every last person and give off some good vibes. And he saved the mental fitness talk for the stretch- praise the lord- and it was more real. Essentially he said don’t talk shit on yourself & don’t take shit on others. We worked our ass off in class and shouldn’t waste it with a negative Nancy attitude at home that night.

So, I took a cycle class the other day and by a cycle class, I actually mean I have now gone to three in the past two weeks. Holy cow, right?! I’m not quite sure who I am or when I decided to become a cycler, but I was intrigued when all of my friends were become annoying and obsessive over it.

I started with The Ride House– which is where one of my coworkers goes AND it’s convenient to get to after/before work. After TRH, I gave Zyn22 in Uptown (which my entire group text attends) a try.

Let me preface the rest of this post (anyone still reading or did I lose ya?) by saying I have taken one spin class in my entire life before this and I hated it. I didn’t feel like I got a good workout- didn’t like the music- I fell out of my shoe clips- it was bad. And this was at the start of my ClassPass journey when everything else was so sparkly and exciting- like City Surf, Barre and JumpPilates- and then there was the boring spin class.

So back to present time. I went to a Nicki Minaj class at TRH where Allen was the teacher. The whole staff was great- they found out it was my first time, got my shoes, gave me a tour, set up my bike for me- all around a super friendly crew that started off me off on the right foot (lol pun intended). During class, Allen was on his bike and had a co-instructor, which I thought was rad. Nicki was blaring, we were all riding, it was actually pretty great. I was encouraged, or rather pumped up, to ride harder and keep on twisting my knob. Allen knew how to give cues that connected with my brain, even as a newbie. The choreography, sometimes tricky, was manageable. I got a little bored about 25 minutes into it- but then a Nicki song I’m obsessed with came on and helped me ride it home. Allen was incredibly cool after class- he noticed it was my first time and gave me a high-five after class and we talked briefly. BTW- you get a cool towel when you leave and that was AMAZING and unexpected.

The next class I tried was a slightly different experience. I went to Zyn22 and they were super friendly, super cool- loved the amenities- but I hated the class. I took from a guy named Mike and all of the music was techno. Let’s be real, I last about 30 minutes without getting bored in a cycle class where I enjoyed the music, so I could tell pretty early on that this was going to be bad. Not only did we have techno music but he decided to get off of his bike and give us inspirational, dig down deep in your heart while I sway side to side shit. I didn’t hear what he said because all I heard was “dig down deep” and then my mind started saying get on your mother freaking bike bro…

He didn’t acknowledge me after class, but not the end of the world for me. However one of my friends asked me what I thought and I told her I hated it… which was awkward AF because everyone heard me and got really quiet super awkward. Honestly, the music and style just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t pick up on the choreography and then when he wasn’t on the bike, I had to look around the room to try and find someone to follow. BUT, kudos to the Zyn team for realizing I didn’t like my class- I’m trying it again with a different instructor… We’ll see how it goes.

If it’s anything like my 2nd Ride House class, then I’m in for a good class. (PSA 2 free classes here! Use it or lose it.) I did a 6:30AM (yup AM) class that was Chainsmokers theme. I somehow burned even more calories in this one then my first go around.. I guess music really helps me cycle harder! Don’t get me wrong, I still got a little bored around the 30 minute mark BUT just as I started to lose my attention span, a killer song came on followed by the instructor yelling at us to pick it up.

All in all I’m glad I’m attempting to get on the cycle train. Guess we’ll see how long I can continue- or if I let boredom win. Stay tuned…

Our insecurities are sometimes things the outside world would never notice, or at least never realize that it’s something you’re insecure about. For me, my curves, often the first thing people notice, are easily my biggest insecurity. Let’s face it, my boobs are huge. I can try to hide them with sports bras all day long, but they’re still there. They are there making me feel like dresses & tops look like balloons. They’re there making me worry if I’m showing too much cleavage. They are there KILLING my back (as if I need any more help destroying my posture…). They’re there causing me headaches. They’re expensive as hell to find bras for. They’re there bouncing up and down while I’m trying to work out. Shit, they’re even there in this photo making me question if it’s “too much” to post. They are always there. Making me insecure. Making me second guess my attire. Making my body ache. So there you have it. Next time you’re jealous of some big boobs, or have the audacity to tell someone they’re showing too much cleavage, think twice. They might be trying to escape their big boob reality.

So now let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Microblading is a semi-permanent solution to better, fuller, natural looking brows. Different from permanent make up, microblading strays away from the Sharpie-esque effects and creates strokes that look just like real hairs. A special pen is used during the treatment. Each “hair” stroke is drawn in, a very detailed, time consuming process.

It’s important that your technician is someone that you’ve built trust with. Before the process even begins, you’ll consult with the technician about the color and shape goals for your brows. For some, it’s simply creating a fullness. Others might want to completely reshape. Everyone’s brows are different, everyone’s desires are different.

For me it was all about the big bold brow. I love my shape, but they were lacking in length. We brought the brows in towards one another, as well as to the outside of my eye. We filled in where hairs were lacking to help create a full look. The color was based off of the darkest color in my brows.

5 years ago I would have laughed in your face if you told me I would be asking for someone to make my brows darker and fuller- yup, I was guilty of the “how thin can I make them” trend.

The pain was tolerable. Luckily there’s a numbing cream involved to keep it as relaxing as possible. It was pretty similar to a wax as far as pain levels go, just a lot longer process.

I go back in 3 weeks for a touch up. The color fades about 40-50% after your initial appointment, so this step is crucial. This also explains why your brows look a little extra dark the first few days after your appointment, it’s taking into consideration the fading.After the first follow up, I won’t have to go back for over a year. The touch ups are recommended to occur every 13 months and are approximately $150. Not terrible considering you’re saving time on filling in the brows, as well as the money for the brow kits…

Stay tuned for the update coming mid-July. In the mean time.. call Etre Belle for your free consultation today… maybe I’ll be seeing you on the microblading train.

“Noruz ( no-rooz) means new day in Persian. Today is a new day and today you can change the mistakes you did in the past with your skin, using noruz.”

Anyone who is close to me understands how terribly picky I can be when it comes to my face products. I’ve gone from oily to dry skin as I’ve gotten older, battled with acne, redness and had my time with clear skin, too. It’s never an easy process to try a new product, let alone enjoy it. I tend to stick to exactly what the dermatologist orders.

Noruz proved that you can teach an old dog new tricks. I started using the Grean Tea scrub in the mornings and it not only feels great on my skin, leaving it refreshed and glowing, but it helps wake me up. For a girl who dreads mornings, this is a small step in the right direction!

I’ve also grown fond of the Coffee Scrub, made up of coffee, sugar, cinnamon, coconut oil and vitamin e (all organic, of course!). I’ll use this when I shower at night as a body scrub following a normal body wash. The coffee invigorates and energizes skin, while the sugar and coconut oil moisturize and replenish. Talk about a great combo.

Although I’ve fallen into habit with my scrubs, I’ve heard that using the Coffee Scrub under your eyes is a perfect way to help with those droopy eyes in the morning. The Brown Sugar scrub is perfect for your neck and chest, you smell sweet and feel smooth all day long… I think I know what I’ll be doing during my next pre-date regimen!